Start of partial withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria

The US military has begun withdrawing hundreds of its troops from northeastern Syria. According to the New York Times, the decision is a sign of the changing security situation in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in December last year.

According to the report, the US military plans to close three of its eight bases in northeastern Syria and reduce the number of troops from about 2,000 to 1,400. The Green Village, Euphrates, and another small base are on the list.

US military commanders plan to decide on further troop reductions within the next 60 days. According to a Pentagon official, it is proposed that at least 500 US troops remain in Syria.

While field commanders want to maintain a limited military presence, US President Donald Trump is hesitant to leave any troops in Syria. The decision was made based on military advice and with the approval of the Pentagon and Central Command, according to the report.

The New York Times went on to point to a major development in Syria that is encouraging the US government to withdraw its forces from the country: the agreement between the Kurds and Damascus. Last month, elements of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached an agreement with the new Syrian government to integrate all of their military and civilian structures into the new government by the end of the year. The deal, which also includes control of oil and gas fields, is a major political victory for Damascus.

Since the new Syrian government of Ahmed al-Sharaa took office, the country has been trying to bring together various armed groups under a single government. However, the Kurds of the northeast, who have been US allies in the fight against ISIS, have been one of the most difficult groups to integrate into the government structure.

According to the New York Times, the US forces that remain in Syria will be tasked with providing counterterrorism assistance to Kurdish forces and managing several detention camps. Currently, nearly 10,000 ISIS members and 35,000 of their families are being held in these camps.

US intelligence officials have warned Congress in a report that ISIS is seeking to exploit the vacuum created by the collapse of the former Syrian government to release its prisoners and launch new attacks. Analysts believe this could strengthen the group’s military and propaganda capabilities.

The New York Times report continues by stating that immediately after the fall of the Assad regime, the US increased the intensity of airstrikes against ISIS positions in the Syrian desert. Also last March, Abdullah Makki Musleh al-Rufai, known as “Abu Khadija,” who led ISIS in Iraq and Syria, was killed in a US drone strike in Anbar province. The operation was carried out based on joint US-Iraqi intelligence.